One Shot
by tragicbeauty1991
Summary: A single bullet to the heart is all it would take to send that boy falling out of the sky like a wounded bird.  His aim is perfect.  So why does he hesitate?  Based on SyFy's Neverland.  Hook & Peter FRIENDSHIP


**Author's Note: I recently saw SyFy's _Neverland_ and absolutely LOVED the father/son relationship between Hook and Peter. Of course, as we all know, they end up becoming mortal enemies who fight for years without one ever seeming to gain an advantage over the other. I often wondered why Hook didn't just blast Peter out of the sky and get it over with and why Peter would be willing to risk coming so close to the ship to taunt Hook. After seeing this version of the characters' backstory, things began to make more sense and this short little fic was born! :) I hope you enjoy it! **

**~CaptainHooksGirl~**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own _Peter Pan _or _Neverland_. **

**One Shot**

One shot. That's all it would take to end his misery. A quick bullet to the head if he was feeling unusually merciful; a chest wound if he wanted to make the boy suffer. Just one well-placed bullet and the forever-boy would fall from the sky like a wounded bird, his body landing in the water with a satisfying splash. If he didn't die from the blood loss, he would either drown trying to stay afloat or be ripped to shreds by the enormous crocodiles that lingered just beneath the water's surface.

CRACK! Jimmy Hook—now Captain James Hook of the _Jolly Roger_—fired a shot as the boy flew past the ship. It missed its target by only a few inches, grazing the shoulder of Peter's jacket but not actually breaking the skin. If Tinkerbell had been standing on his shoulder, as she was quite fond of doing, she would be nothing more than a splash of pixie dust now. The boy looked up, more surprised than frightened, then frowned. Even at this distance, he could see the hurt of betrayal that lingered in the child's eyes.

"Blast," the captain swore under his breath. Reloading a pistol with only one hand was a difficult task, but Jimmy had never been one to give up easily and over the past few months he'd learned to deal with his handicap so that he was now just as dexterous as any of his crewmen. He cocked the hammer and aimed again for the boy's heart. He wondered why his target hadn't moved.

"Ye nearly 'ad 'im that time, Captain!" Smee yelled from the foredeck.

Starkey sneered. "Come-a closer, Peter Pan. We've-a got a surprise for you." He clamped a hand on the captain's shoulder. "Show him we mean business, Captain."

Hook lowered the gun but did not bother to turn around.

"Are you suggesting, Mr. Starkey, that my aim is off?" The eerily calm tone of his voice was enough to unnerve even the bravest of men. Hook whirled to face the first mate, shoving the muzzle against his chest. "Because if you are, I would be happy to demonstrate my abilities USING _YOU_ AS A TARGET!"

The Spanish pirate's eyes widened. "No, Captain! No!" He swallowed nervously. "That will not be necessary." If looks could kill, the glare in Hook's eyes would have finished him off already. He sighed with relief as he felt the pressure of the pistol removed from his chest.

The captain turned to face his crew. "Does anyone _else _think that they could do better?"

A chorus of "No, Captain" and a sea of downcast eyes told Hook that he had won. For while the crew had their suspicions, no one would dare to question the captain's authority to his face. They knew all too well how quickly a bullet could pierce a man's skull, particularly when James Hook was in a foul mood.

"Good." He nodded at the crew. "Kill as many of the Indians and Tree Spirits as you wish, but the boy is _mine_. If anyone is to take his life, it will be me. Is that understood?"

Again they answered in unison. "Yes, Captain."

By this time, Hook assumed that the boy in question had probably flown away, so it took him by surprise when he began to scan the sky and found that Peter had actually come _closer_ to the ship during their conversation. Their eyes met for a moment, Hook's harsh and unforgiving; Peter's innocent and questioning. _He's testing you_.

Hook fired the gun. And it was close. So close that Peter could hear the bullet whistle through the air and feel the breeze on his cheek as it whizzed past his ear, missing it by the breadth of a hair. Close enough to convince the crew that he had been aiming with the intent to kill. But not close enough to convince Peter.

Hook sighed as he watched the boy fly away. He hadn't missed the sad smile that had found its way to Peter's face before he'd turned away. One shot. That's all it would have taken to avenge Bonny and his missing right hand. _One shot, and I could have had him!_

But Peter was no fool. He had known Jimmy longer than anyone in Neverland, and he knew well enough that if Hook had meant to hit him, he would have been dead after the first bullet. One shot was all Jimmy ever needed.

"Someday, Peter!" Hook shouted at the sky. "Mark my words, _someday_ I will kill you!" And someday, perhaps he would. James Hook was too smart to think that he could keep up the charade forever. It was only a matter of time until there was a war, a final showdown. Someday he would have to choose between his loyalty to Bonny and his love for Jenny. For despite his growing hatred for the boy, somewhere deep within his heart, he still thought of Peter as a son. Someday there would be a duel and one of them would have to die. Someday he would have to shoot to kill.

But that someday was not today.


End file.
